Dealing with the aftermath of a Houston fatal truck accident can be overwhelming and heartbreaking. Choosing the right Houston fatal truck accident lawyer to represent you and your family is crucial in ensuring that justice is served and fair compensation is received.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through the importance of finding a specialized truck accident attorney in Houston, types of fatal truck accidents, determining liability, potential compensation, and crucial steps after the accident.
Short Summary
- A specialized Houston truck accident attorney is essential for navigating the complexities of fatal truck accidents.
- An experienced lawyer with knowledge of laws, regulations, and technical aspects can effectively negotiate with insurance companies to protect victims’ rights.
- It’s important to take legal steps such as preserving evidence and initiating a wrongful death claim to ensure families receive the best chance for full compensation for damages caused by negligence or intentional harm.
Why You Need a Houston Fatal Truck Accident Lawyer
The complexity of fatal truck accident cases and the aggressive tactics employed by insurance companies make it imperative to have a qualified 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer on your side.
A specialized Houston truck accident attorney will have the experience and knowledge to navigate these challenging cases, ensuring the victim’s family receives the best chance to get the maximum compensation they deserve. With the expertise of the Houston truck accident attorneys at Baumgartner Law Firm, you can rest assured that your case is in capable hands.
The right lawyer can make all the difference in a serious injury case. They will be able to do what you need to be done with a semi-truck accident lawsuit.
Call Attorney Greg Baumgartner for a Free Consultation at (281) 587-1111.
Experience and Knowledge
A Houston accident lawyer should have extensive experience handling cases related to truck accidents and a deep understanding of the laws and regulations governing the commercial trucking industry. Our familiarity with the medical and technical aspects of truck accidents is crucial in building a strong case.
We feature an attorney with over 35 years of expertise and a proven track record of successfully representing clients in truck accident cases who will be best equipped to handle the unique challenges associated with these cases.
The law firm must also be well-versed in Texas state laws and federal regulations that govern the commercial trucking industry. This comprehensive knowledge is essential in successfully handling Texas truck accident cases and securing favorable settlements and verdicts for their clients.
We have handled fatal crashes at Baumgartner Law Firm for over 35 years. Some of the Houston area highways where the wrecks happened include the following:
Interstate 69
35 Year Record of Success
Our truck accident lawyers near you have won truck accident lawsuits for over 35 years. Over those decades, we remain undefeated in commercial vehicle accidents.
Handling Insurance Companies
Insurance carriers often focus on minimizing payouts to truck accident claims. A qualified and experienced truck accident attorney can effectively negotiate with insurance companies, protecting the rights and interests of the victim’s family.
In addition, a well-versed lawyer can hold trucking companies or independent contractors responsible for properly maintaining their trucks and ensuring the safety of all road users.
Types of Fatal Truck Accidents in Houston
Truck accident statistics in Texas show that most fatal crashes happen in Houston.
Fatal truck accidents in Houston can take various forms, including head-on collisions, underride accidents, and jackknife accidents. Each accident type can result in devastating consequences for victims and their families.
Understanding these accidents’ differences and potential causes is crucial in building a strong compensation case. Get the best Houston truck accident attorneys for your case. Call attorney Greg Baumgartner who has won Texas trucking accident cases for over 35 years.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions between trucks and passenger vehicles are particularly dangerous due to the size and weight disparity between the vehicles involved. These accidents often result in fatalities and severe truck accident injuries, including broken bones, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.
Potential causes of head-on collisions in Houston include distracted driving, tired driving, impaired driving, poorly executed passes, tight curves, equipment malfunction, or other forms of driver error.
Underride Accidents
Underride accidents occur when a smaller vehicle becomes trapped under a truck’s trailer, often resulting in fatal injuries. These horrific accidents can be attributed to broken or obscured tail/brake lights, inadequate reflector application, sudden stops, and reduced visibility.
The potential outcomes of underride accidents include serious injuries or fatalities, making it essential to hold the responsible parties accountable.
Jackknife Accidents
Jackknife accidents involve a truck’s trailer swinging out and folding against the cab, often causing severe damage and potential fatalities. These accidents can be attributed to adverse weather conditions, unsecured cargo, road debris, excessive speed, and sudden braking.
Due to the devastating consequences of these accidents, seeking compensation from those responsible is a crucial step in supporting the victim’s family.
Determining Liability in Fatal Truck Accidents
Determining liability in fatal truck accidents can involve multiple parties, including the truck driver, trucking company, and maintenance providers. Each of these parties has different responsibilities and can be held accountable for their actions or inactions that contributed to the accident.
The insurance company will likely contest responsibility regardless of the case is strength. You need an experienced truck accident lawyer.
Understanding the roles and responsibilities of these parties is crucial in building a strong compensation case.
Truck Driver Negligence
Truck driver negligence, such as speeding, fatigue, or substance abuse, is a leading cause of truck accidents in Houston. When drivers fail to adhere to the expected standard of care, they can be held liable for any damages resulting from violating federal trucking laws and traffic regulations.
In addition to following traffic laws, truck drivers are responsible for operating their vehicles safely and always maintaining awareness of their surroundings. When a truck driver’s negligence contributes to a fatal accident, the driver may be liable for the resulting damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Only experienced truck accident lawyers have the expertise to win a truck accident claim.
Trucking Company Liability
Trucking companies are responsible for ensuring that their trucks are adequately maintained, and their drivers are properly trained and qualified. If a trucking company fails to meet these responsibilities, it may be held liable for inadequate training, poor vehicle maintenance, or the promotion of unsafe driving practices.
By holding trucking companies accountable, victims and their families can seek the compensation they deserve for their losses. Commercial truck accidents and truck accident lawsuits require a law firm with exceptional results. Call Baumgartner Law Firm, a proven winner and rated among the best Texas truck accident attorneys.
Maintenance Provider Responsibility
Maintenance providers play a critical role in ensuring the safety of trucks on the road. They are responsible for regularly inspecting, maintaining, and repairing trucks to ensure they are in proper working condition and operate safely.
If a maintenance provider’s negligence leads to a fatal truck accident, they can be held accountable for the damages incurred by the victim’s family, further emphasizing the importance of determining liability in these cases.
Compensation for Families in Fatal Truck Accident Cases
Families of fatal truck accident victims may be eligible to pursue compensation for various damages, including economic, non-economic, and punitive damages. By understanding the different types of damages and their potential value, families can work with their attorneys to build a strong case and seek the maximum compensation available under the law.
The types of damages that may be available to families of fatal truck accident victims include economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages refer to recoverable monetary losses resulting from an injury accident, such as past and future medical expenses, past and future lost wages, household services, vocational rehabilitation, and other actual financial losses incurred or to be incurred due to the harm caused by the defendant. These damages can help families cover the costs of medical expenses, funeral costs, and lost income resulting from the fatal truck accident.
In addition to these financial losses, economic damages may also include any other medical costs associated with the injury, such as hospital bills, doctor visits, physical therapy, and prescription medications.
These expenses can quickly add up, making the pursuit of economic damages a crucial part of the compensation process.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages compensate for non-monetary losses, including pain, suffering, inconvenience, emotional distress, loss of society, and loss of enjoyment of life. These damages are typically calculated by considering the injury’s severity, duration, and effect on the victim’s life.
Compensation for emotional pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and mental anguish can provide some relief to the victim’s family as they cope with the devastating aftermath of a fatal truck accident.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are additional damages that a court may award to punish a defendant whose conduct is grossly negligent or intentional. These damages are in addition to the compensatory damages that are intended to help the injured party. In a Houston truck accident case, punitive damages may be awarded when there is clear and convincing evidence of fraud, malice, or gross negligence.
By seeking punitive damages, families can hold the responsible parties accountable and deter similar behavior in the future.
What to Do After a Fatal Truck Accident
After a fatal car or truck accident, someone taking immediate steps to protect the victim’s family’s rights and interests is crucial. These steps include preserving evidence, contacting a lawyer, and initiating a wrongful death claim.
By following these steps, families can ensure that they receive the legal support and guidance they need to seek justice and compensation for their loss.
Preserve Evidence
Preserving evidence is essential for building a strong case in a fatal truck accident lawsuit. This can include collecting truck inspection reports, black box information, high-quality photographs and videos of the accident scene, and names and contact information of witnesses.
By gathering and preserving this crucial evidence, families can support their attorney’s efforts to build a compelling case for compensation.
Contact the Best Houston Truck Accident Lawyers
Contacting a lawyer as soon as possible after a fatal truck accident ensures that the victim’s family receives the legal support and guidance they need. It is essential to evaluate the circumstances of the accident, the magnitude of the losses and injuries, and the expertise and reputation of the attorney before deciding. Additionally, it is advised to query the attorney about their familiarity with truck accident cases and their rate of success.
Once a lawyer has been chosen, it is crucial to maintain open communication with them throughout the legal process. This will enable the attorney to provide the best possible representation and help the family navigate the complex legal landscape of a fatal truck accident case.
Initiate a Wrongful Death Claim
Filing a wrongful death claim with the court is necessary to pursue compensation for the victim’s family. This legal action allows survivors to recover economic losses and non-economic damages resulting from another party’s negligence or intentional harm.
The process of initiating a wrongful death claim typically involves collecting evidence, submitting a complaint, and negotiating a settlement. It is essential to consult with a knowledgeable wrongful death attorney to guarantee that the claim is managed appropriately.
Baumgartner Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyer Practice Areas
At Baumgartner Law Firm, our personal injury attorney in Houston, TX helps clients throughout Texas maximize their damages to get the compensation they deserve. We have recovered millions of dollars and represented thousands of accident victims.
Since 1985, our firm has limited the practice to serious injury cases and produced exceptional results in the following areas:
- Auto & Car Accidents
- Catastrophic and Severe Injuries
- Construction Site Accidents
- Truck & 18-Wheeler Accidents
- Daycare Negligence & Child Injury
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Drunk Driving Accidents
- Dram Shop Lawsuits
- Wrongful Death
Our founder attorney, Greg Baumgartner, has over 35 years of experience and has been peer-reviewed preeminent for decades.
Related FAQS
What types of fatal truck accidents are most common in Houston?
Head-on collisions, underride accidents, jackknife accidents, and rear-end accidents are Houston’s most common types of fatal truck accidents.
How can truck driver negligence contribute to fatal truck accidents?
Truck driver negligence, such as speeding, fatigue, or substance abuse, can have tragic consequences, resulting in liability for the driver and potentially fatal accidents.
These types of accidents can be avoided if drivers take the necessary precautions and follow the rules of the road. They should also be aware of the potential risks and take steps to reduce them.
It is important for truck drivers to be courteous.
Who can be held liable in a fatal truck accident case?
The truck driver, trucking company, and maintenance providers can all be held liable for a fatal truck accident.
What types of compensation can families of fatal truck accident victims pursue?
Families of fatal truck accident victims may be eligible to pursue compensation for economic damages, such as medical expenses and lost wages, as well as non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, mental anguish, and even punitive damages in some cases.
In certain cases, victims’ families may be able to seek compensation for these damages. This could include economic damages like medical expenses and lost wages and non-economic damages like pain and suffering. In some cases, punitive damages may also be available.
What are the crucial steps to take after a fatal truck accident?
Following a fatal truck accident, securing evidence, contacting an attorney, and filing a wrongful death claim is important to safeguard the victim’s family’s rights and interests.
Taking these steps can help ensure that the family is compensated for their loss and that justice is served.
Call the Houston Truck Accident Lawyers at Baumgartner Law Firm for Help!
Call and get a free consultation from preeminent rated personal injury attorney Greg Baumgartner who has been winning truck accident cases for over 35 years.
It is often the most difficult time after losing a loved one. Yet it is exactly this time that you must act to protect your family’s financial future by hiring the best truck accident lawyer near you.
Call for a free consultation at (281) 587-1111 or message us today.
6711 Cypress Creek Pkwy, Houston, TX, 77069
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